


Best Friends

by sony24_7



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Best Friends, Conflict of Interests, F/M, Falling In Love, Friendship/Love, Insomnia, Internal Conflict, Romance, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:41:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27305746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sony24_7/pseuds/sony24_7
Summary: The summer before her senior year, Luna goes on a date to the movies with one of her oldest and closest friends, Noctis. But the "date" turns out to be much more than she could have ever bargained for. Could her longest friendship be the start of a sweet romance? And could it survive now that she's planning to go to college?Meanwhile, a heartbroken Iris tries to cope with her crush liking another - but she ends up opening her heart out to someone she least expected. As sparks kindle within, she wonders if there could be something more between them...Oh, and Ardyn? He's trying to get through this school year in one piece while plotting (I mean, planning) - to take Aera's hand in marriage. But that's easier said than done, and a sinister ex-boyfriend might get in the way of his "plans".A blooming romance, a blossoming attraction, and a plan to get married - that ought to start the school year with a bang. But not all will go well...
Relationships: Aera Mirus Fleuret/Ardyn Izunia, Iris Amicitia/Ignis Scientia, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret/Noctis Lucis Caelum, Prompto Argentum/Aranea Highwind
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	1. The Date

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place in a world where the Final Fantasy XV Characters attend Insomnia High School (and Ardyn Izunia is a crazy English teacher).

Noctis Lucis Caelum was called "the Prince" at Insomnia High School because he had it all: the cool car, close friends, rich father, and a mansion that could probably fit a quarter of the population of Lucis.

Graced by good looks and enigmatic charm, he was always chased by girls and invited to join sports teams by guys. Others said he was a playboy using his charms to gain the affections of girls like Cindy or Iris (though, it seemed to be the other way around).

But to Luna, he was her best friend, and an old one at that. In fact, very few people at school knew that she and Noctis grew up together – or that they once lived in the same house.

She was ten when she and Ravus moved in with the Caelums, albeit under unusual circumstances. Noctis had no siblings and Ravus made it clear he was far too mature to spare his time fooling around with children, so that left her to be the "sister" figure for Noct.

She could never forget the mornings when an eight-year-old Noctis would unceremoniously kick open her bedroom door, jump on her comforter, and demand that she play with him outside, nor the dinners where he'd casually scoop up his vegetables when his dad wasn't looking and drop them on her plate. She would step on his toes whenever he did that, but he'd just smirk like the devil and carry on. Noctis was indeed the miscreant.

On the days when he wasn't misbehaving, he would be curled up beside her as they read the Cosmogony books outloud (they were a popular children's series about Lucian myths). He also liked to fish, eat Altissian Crab and Fish crackers that she'd purchase at the supermarket, and would help her water the syllablossems that grew in the backyard.

That was all nearly 8 years ago, yet whenever her thoughts lingered on Noctis, she still remembered that little boy who always followed her around. He was like her little brother, really.

But the notion of him being " little" and a "brother" changed the summer before her senior year of high school.

It all started with this text message he sent a few days ago:

_Up for the movies this weekend?_

Funny – she couldn't recall the last time they went to a theater. But maybe that was more of a reason to go.

After all, it was the middle of July and it was filled with nothing but pre-filling college applications and emailing her former teachers for recommendations – to the point where she felt she wasn't seeing enough of her friends.

And that's why she texted him back.

_Sure. Pick me up Saturday at noonish?_

Who knew what they were going to watch, but they'd negotiate one way or the other.

When the expected date arrived, she decided to wear a white crop top and a white mid-calf skirt featuring a lace design. It was a good mix of casual wear with a dash of something fancy, which was her choice of style even if she was just going to the movies. She looked herself over at the mirror in approval.

A knock came at the door and when she opened it, there stood Noctis in a black T-Shirt and dark blue jeans holding a jar of what appeared to be Ulwaat Berries.

"Before you ask – dad wanted me to give these to you and Ravus as a thank you for making pastries last time. Why he wants to give these to you now – I'm not sure. But here you go," he awkwardly handed them to her, and she laughed.

"Thanks, I guess this is a sign he wants me to make more. You know, I could just give the recipe to Ignis," she suggested.

"Please. Ignis won't even look at it. Says he wants to "come up with a new recipe" on his own." Noctis said the word "recipe" the way Ignis would.

She laughed remembering the notable catchphrase. Just when she was going to add on to the joke, she noticed him staring at her outfit.

"It doesn't look weird, does it?"

"What doesn't look weird?"

"These clothes," she gestured to her figure.

He gave her a shy smirk.

"No, not at all. You look gorge – uh, I mean, um, great. You look great."

For reasons that she couldn't quite put her finger on, his cheeks had a reddish hue to them.

"Sorry, is it hot in here?" she asked. Her apartment did have a tendency of being too hot in the summer, and it certainly didn't help that the central air conditioning would sometimes bust. She planned to chat with the landlord about it later.

"Nah, Lu, I'm fine. Let's just get out of here," he stretched his elbow out like a gentleman about to take a lady out for a stroll, and she linked her arm with his. They were used to doing that as kids and now and then as teens. Nothing weird about that, but what _was_ strange was the scent of cologne on his clothes.

"I didn't know you wore cologne," she inquired more than she stated. She thought Noctis hated the stuff.

"Just trying something new for a change," was his simple, yet hesitant reply.

"I like it, it's nice."

As friendly as all of that was, there were other surprises she hadn't quite expected at the movie theater.

"Get your own bag!" she laughed as Noctis greedily scooped a handful of popcorn from her.

"Sharing is caring, Luna," he teased while shoving buttery popcorn into his mouth. Even though he'd insist he never wanted any, he always stole her popcorn when they went to the movies. She didn't mind, however.

"If that's the case, Noct, maybe you should let me drive the Regalia – since, after all, sharing is caring," she quipped back, taking a single popcorn to her mouth. She could see him sink into his seat and shake his head with a chuckle.

"Alright," he sighed. "Maybe after this movie, but we need to come back in once piece." He wiggled his eyebrows as if to suggest they wouldn't.

"Noctis," Luna gasped, "I practically told you how to get here! Ignis and I both know you can't drive alone to save your life. I mean weren't you behind the wheel when the Regalia broke down –"

" _Ahem_ , that was _Prompto_ , and if there's anyone who can't drive to save their life, it's him."

"Riiiiggght," she crowed, while mentally laughing at the image of Noctis trying to survive a car ride with Prompto. He did have a point. Then again, both he and Prompto had just gotten their driver's licenses', so she wasn't entirely wrong for implying they could barely drive.

"By the way, what's this movie about?"

"Glad you _finally_ asked," he replied as if he were going to give her a grand summary.

"So, there's this special class of soldiers trying to protect their kingdom from a nasty empire and they're called the 'Kingsglaive'. They get their powers from a King who's also keeping his people safe by maintaining this gigantic magical wall over his territory. It's got a lot of fight scenes and stuff."

"Sounds like your kind of movie."

"Oh, it is. And you'll like it too," he winked.

Noctis always had a penchant for war movies with undertones of castles and fantasy. Well, at least it seemed to feature a female protagonist this time, so she could enjoy it too.

Besides that, she was also hoping to spend some quality time with Noctis. She hadn't seen him since the day they went fishing near Duscae's mountains in the Spring – and wonderfully enough back then, he had chosen the right day to catch Lucian Catfish as they were swimming in hordes. They had caught so many fish to the point where the fish started flapping their way back into the lake. She'd never laughed so hard and sworn she saw tears of joy in Noctis' eyes. She loved seeing Noct have a great time – mainly because he rarely showed that side of him to other people. Or maybe, he seemed to only show it to her.

"You got a little something on your lips, Lu," he interrupted, breaking her away from that spectacular day.

"What, what is it?" she asked, swiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Well, now it's here," he whispered, placing his thumb below her bottom lip. He gently swiped down, and she could feel the grease of butter coming off. "All gone," he declared, before licking the butter from his thumb.

"Noct!" She exclaimed and slapped his shoulder, which only made him smile.

"What? It's just butter, relax," he coolly shrugged like it was the most normal thing to do.

"That was on my mouth," she retorted.

"Lots of stuff gets in contact with our mouths, and it's not like you have cooties or anything….do you?"

"Ugh," she exhaled. "Noct you're so…."

Noctis smirked. "I'm so….what?"

Gross? Nonsensical? Mischievous? Whatever he was, she wasn't fast enough to tell him because the trailers ended and the lights in the theater began to dim. The movie was starting.

"Just enjoy the show," she mumbled.

She took more popcorn without looking back at his face as he chuckled. When the first scene began to role, she could sense in the corner of her eye that he was still looking at her. Was there butter on her mouth again? And if there was, how could he tell in a dark theater?

She turned to look at him and their eyes met.

"Something wrong?"

He averted his gaze.

"Nothing. I – I'm glad you came with me today."

"Of course. Not like I had anything better to do," she whispered, which was very well true.

"Good."

It was a bit strange of him to act shy like that, considering he was never shy with her before. Though he seemed comfortable enough, given that his arm was resting on the back of her seat and his fingers were lightly touching her shoulder.

After the movie, they were walking back to the car while ranting about how Nyx, the protagonist, should have lived at the end.

"What's up with writers' killing their main characters?" Noctis sighed.

"Beats me. But he had to put something on the bargaining table," she reasoned. "Maybe they'll release the alternative ending in a couple of weeks?"

"Doubt it," he smirked before adding, "That's why we have fanfiction."

She didn't know why – but hearing him say that made her laugh so hard that she ended up laughing into his chest and gripping his sides to steady herself. He laughed with her while wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

"Noct," she started in between laughs, "Since when do you read fanfiction?" She was of course, being playful when she asked the question, remembering all too well how in his pre-teen years, Noctis easily got disturbed with the number of character ships for King's Knight.

And yet, she could not have predicted that he'd provide a serious response.

With his arms still wrapped around her shoulders, he tightened his embrace.

"Since I started watching movies with you."

That's when she stopped laughing. Her mirthful gaze was slowly replaced by a cautious surprise.

Wait, did she hear him correctly?

She thought she'd imagined it and the seductive _way_ he said it. And she thought she was imagining the yearnful expression in his eyes that were staring back at hers.

"Is that so," she murmured, a little uncertain of where this was going.

He slid his hands to take hold of hers.

"Yeah. And believe it or not, I like seeing you laugh when I steal your popcorn. I like getting on your nerves too," he chuckled.

She could feel warmth emanating from his palms, or maybe it was coming from her own cheeks. Something he said inside the theater emerged from her memory: _Lots of stuff gets in contact with our mouths._

And at that moment, she felt his gaze on her mouth. And somehow, that compelled her to look at his.

"Why tell me this now?" She hesitantly asked, the words coming out in a whisper.

His cheeks had that same tint of rouge he had at her apartment, and this time it was clear to her that it wasn't because of the summer heat.

"Thought you should know," he whispered back, moving his thumb to the corner of her lips.

And then he bent down and pressed his lips against hers.

Her eyes widened.

In that moment, she was meeting an entirely new Noctis, far different from the one she was laughing with at the theater, fishing with at the lake, or scolding as a child. This Noctis was the one that licked the butter from her chin off his finger. The one that gazed at her a little longer than before. This Noctis held secrets she didn't know about. This Noctis had desires she didn't understand.

His hands cupped her face as he added pressure to the kiss with his soft lips. She felt like he was telling her a secret: _I like you, Luna. I like you a lot. I might be in love with you._

What was happening?

As she struggled to find an answer, all she could think about was his mouth pressed against hers. Some crazy part of her at that moment decided to close her eyes and return his kiss. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him back with the same sweetness he was giving her. Gently, their lips parted and their tongues slipped into the dark caravans of each other's mouths. It felt like they were having a sexy, wet embrace with no one in the world to care except them. She could feel his hands against the fabric of her outfit, squeezing her curves and a moan escaped from her before she could suppress it. She could taste the butter from the popcorn, and a hint of Ulwaat berries that he must have stolen from the jar he brought over that afternoon. Her hands found their way within his jacket, and she could feel his smooth pecs he preferred to keep hidden and his quickening heartbeat underneath his black shirt. A selfish thought crept into her head: she wanted more. More of him.

But then, a more practical and alarming thought struck that selfish one to the curb.

They were best friends.

And she was eighteen. He was sixteen. She would be graduating high school and going to college. He wouldn't be seeing her as much. He would be alone, heartbroken. She would be guilt-ridden.

She pulled away immediately and gasped, "We can't do this."

His lips were wet and his cheeks were rosy from their long kiss as he looked at her in confusion.

"Why not?"

Why not? There were plenty of reasons why, and it baffled her that he couldn't see that. In fact, she was baffled that she wasn't able to see that until after she broke away.

"Noct… we've been friends for a long time. Going any further than that could jeopardize what we already have. And I'm going to college and you'll still be here and – "

Before she could continue, he interrupted.

"You don't think I know that?"

She gave him another look of surprise.

"I know you'll be graduating this year. I know you're going to college. But I didn't want another year to go by without telling you how I feel."

Another year?

Her mind went blank. Had he been harboring feelings for her….for years? And she didn't have the slightest clue? Her cheeks burned a flush pink as she directed her mental energy to focus.

"Let me get this straight," she began. "How long have you liked me?"

He moved his hands into his pockets. "A long time, Lu. Too long. I'd say, since we were kids."

Her lips parted at his words. All those times, when they laughed together, teased each other, played "House," watched movies, went fishing, ate meals, collected things in the backyard – all those moments – were times when he liked her? She tried to find words to say – anything – but she was trapped in this moment where suddenly a boy she admired and respected for this long took her out of those innocent, childhood memories and had pulled her into a breath-taking, sexy kiss. And holy shit, did she think it was sexy.

As she thought about the past, she realized they were still standing in the middle of the theater parking lot. Astrals, they kissed in the middle of the parking lot!

"Let's talk more in the car," she suggested hastily, aware of the growing glances in their direction.

"Okay," he caught her drift.

They walked side by side in silence. But her mind spewed question after question as she remembered all the times she spent with Noctis and how normal each encounter with him seemed to be.

When they approached the Regalia, he awkwardly turned to her and asked, "Still wanna take the wheel?"

She glanced at the driver's seat, recalling their playful banter inside the theater.

"I do," she replied, and when he handed her the keys, it felt like he was handing her control over the situation.

In the car, they sat looking at anything expect each other. She didn't know what to say to carry the conversation to a place that wasn't awkward. Honestly, everything after that kiss seemed so surreal, and she didn't know what she could say or do to break the tension in the air.

And he seemed to sense this.

"I'm sorry, Luna," he whispered. "If you want, we can pretend this never happened. I never meant to make you feel weird."

She looked at him this time.

"No, I don't want to pretend it didn't happen. And I don't feel weird. I'm just surprised. I never realized you had feelings for me. I never realized that you saw me as more than just a friend."

As she said that, she thought about the way he looked at her outfit earlier that day, and how he almost said something about it that she didn't quite catch. And then there was that waft of cologne on his body that suddenly seemed intoxicating just by sitting next to him in his sleek luxury car.

"I'm surprised that you're surprised," he chuckled nervously. "I've always liked you. As a friend and a love interest."

Her ears buzzed at the word "love."

She swallowed before continuing. "But Noct…I've loved you as a friend. I never got to experience anything with you beyond that. We should really think about what we'd be getting ourselves into if, you know, we continue this."

His eyebrows shot up. "You're open to dating me?" His voice was hopeful.

"What? No, that's not what I said," she rebuked.

"But it's what you meant," he said confidently, and a cool smirk caressed his handsome face.

How mischievous of him.

"And I guess that kiss and this whole confession was planned from the very beginning?" She hammered back, and now it was his turn to be put on the spot.

"Uh…well, not everything was planned," he looked at her shyly.

She felt her heartbeat quicken as she stared at this beautiful man, whom she knew deep down that she actually loved. She could feel that when they kissed, especially when she kissed him back. Her desires were definitely beyond that of friendship.

"Noct…," she began, "I want to get to know you…as more than just a friend. But I don't want to ruin what we already have. I think we should take it slow, as long as you're okay with that."

"Luna," he said, gently placing both of his hands on her shoulders, "I'm okay with whatever makes you feel okay. I don't want to do anything that'll hurt you."

She smiled at that. He was always looking out for her. Just as she was always looking out for him.

"Thanks, Noct," she whispered softy. Turning away from his pretty face, she turned on the ignition and they took off into the night back to her place.

* * *

Saying goodbye to Noctis was harder than expected. The memory of their kiss lingered in her thoughts as Noctis slowly escorted her back to her apartment door. He seemed reluctant to retire for the night as well, his arm brushing hers every chance that he got. She was inwardly smirking at that – she was getting better at reading him.

She paused at her door, turning to him in hopes that maybe a nice compliment would come out of her mouth. What a nice time she had. What a great movie it was. What a fantastic kiss they shared. Unfortunately, he beat her to it.

"Thanks for hanging out with me, Lu. I had an awesome time," he said. And there it was – his handsome smile on his kissable lips. It made her breath hitch. All she could do was smile back and say, "Me too, Noct."

There was hesitation in his eyes as he gazed at her, his eyes drifting to her lips. And that's when she knew - he wanted a goodbye kiss!

She felt the blood rush into her cheeks like last time, only now, it would be her turn to kiss him. If she had to be honest with herself, she wanted to kiss him again. Badly. So she set aside her nerves and gently got on her tip toes to plant a sweet kiss to his sweet lips. He responded by placing his hand on the small of her back and intertwining his other hand with hers. There was a quiet affection in this kiss, which wasn't as intense as their first one, but nonetheless, it made her feel adored and cherished.

When they broke apart – reluctantly – both of them found it hard to say goodnight and go.

After all that talk about taking things "slow" and expressing her fears about their relationship, Luna was finding it harder to fight her growing physical and emotional attraction to Noctis.

"Do you, maybe, want come inside for a bit? We could try those Ulwaat Berries you brought over," she suggested, her eyes moving over him expectantly.

His face lit up with an impish glee when he answered, "You know I do."


	2. Silver Linings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As news of Noct and Luna's date spreads, Iris tries to cope with her long-time crush choosing another - but the guy to comfort her is someone she least expected. Meanwhile, Ardyn gets some inspiration from Aera on his next class assignment.

Everyone at Insomnia High knew what happened at that movie theater parking lot in July. It started with a whisper, which turned into a rumor, which became a photo taken from someone who was there that night when Lunafreya Nox Fleuret and Noctis Lucis Caelum shared their first kiss. Or, make-out session, as it would later be called.

A lot of people expected it would happen, and many never saw it coming.

Iris Amicitia fell in the latter camp.

She watched, begrudgingly, as Noctis and Luna stepped out of the Regalia together from the school parking lot, and walked side by side, their shoulders touching, stealing intimate glances at one another when they thought no one was watching. Noctis offered his hand to Luna, who bashfully smiled and slipped hers in his.

And all Iris could do was force her very own smile, like she always did whenever she tried not to cry. Unbeknown to most, she had harbored a very big crush on Noctis ever since she was a little girl. Sure, some may have called it "puppy love" or a childhood obsession, but Iris' feelings felt real to her and they only seemed to grow over time the more she and her brother, Gladiolus, spent time with him. And more often than not, she personally felt that Noctis would have been a better older brother than her real one because he was warm and kind compared to Gladdy who could be really unfair at times and who only seemed to be good at showing tough love. All those moments where she shared jokes with Noctis, the hand-made gifts she'd sewn for his birthdays, and those rare occasions where she would make him smile – those were moments that she cherished the most. No one could imagine how much it ached for Iris to watch the Prince of Insomnia High – her Prince – belong to another.

Luna was someone Iris couldn't help but admire from a distance. She was very pretty, intelligent, kind, and extremely humble. Luna was a senior on her way to graduating as valedictorian of her class. Although Iris hadn't spent too much time with her, she knew deep down that nobody could come close to being more perfect for Noctis. It probably explained why Noctis was dating Luna and not her.

Yet, Iris had to wonder – was she, herself, really so imperfect? Did her own personality traits not shine as much as Luna's did?

Thinking about it only made her more upset, so she shoved her thoughts aside and decided to totter towards the group hanging around Gladiolus' locker.

"Morning guys," she greeted Ignis, Prompto, and her brother.

"Good morning, Iris," Ignis nodded curtly. She wasn't sure why, but there appeared to be something different about him. Before she could decipher _what_ was so different, Prompto wrapped his muscular arms around her shoulders and squeezed her in a hug.

"Iris! Welcome back," Prompto ecstatically greeted, giving her one of his biggest bear hugs.

"Same to you," she slightly wheezed but laughed at the same time. "It's been a minute."

"Hands off, blondie," Gladiolus gruffly tugged Prompto's body away from hers.

Iris scowled at her brother. Did he really have to do that?

"Dually noted, big brother Gladdy," Prompto shook him off, before turning around to give Iris his signature grin. "We were actually talking about you."

"Oh yeah? Why?"

"The Yearbook could really use another creative designer, you know, to help with this year's theme, page layouts, etcetera. And you came highly recommended."

Iris smiled. She didn't really consider herself to be artistic, but she did design a lot of her own clothes, crafts and whatnot.

"Sure, I'd be down to join."

"Oh, thank the gods," Prompto sighed in relief. "I was scared you were going to say no."

"Like the twenty other people he's asked today," Gladiolus interjected with an eye roll.

"Hey, big guy, you're the one who said to ask your sis," Prompto barked back, to which Gladiolus huffed in response.

Iris raised an eyebrow at her brother and sarcastically said, "Thanks for thinking so highly of me, Gladdy."

Although, she wondered why her brother was even trying. The Yearbook Club? Did he think she didn't have enough to do already? Deciding not to dwell on it any further, she shot her gaze back to Ignis and was startled.

"Iggy, what happened to your glasses?"

Ignis turned to face her and she was suddenly taken aback by his soft green eyes that returned her gaze.

"I bought contact lenses over the summer. My optometrist recommended them after I damaged my spare glasses again, regrettably."

"It's regrettable, since we can't call him 'Specs' anymore," Gladiolus chimed.

"Well, I was never fond of that nickname, so I'm glad to be rid of that," Ignis mused.

"Aw, Iggy, come on, it suited you," Prompto teased.

"How do you like them so far?" Iris asked.

"So far, they're alright. I may however switch back to 'Specs' come the new year."

Iris secretly wished he wouldn't. Without his glasses, he was quite the looker. Not that he wasn't handsome before – but she hadn't realized just how the contour of his brow, matched with his high cheekbones, made him look piercingly dashing like those male and female models in the _Heatwave_ magazines (which her brother had an active subscription to…he had a weakness for women in bikinis, unfortunately). She inwardly had to scold herself for ogling another one of her brother's best friends. Astrals, she needed to get over herself…and Noctis.

As if on cue, Noctis headed their way with Luna in tow.

"Here come the newlyweds," Prompto announced.

Noctis and Luna held hands the entire time as they reached the group.

"Looks like someone enjoyed their summer," Gladiolus suggestively remarked.

"You could say that," Noctis replied with a sly grin.

"Must have been some date," Prompto wiggled his eyebrows at Luna.

"Certainly was," Luna chuckled with an even bigger grin than Noctis'.

Iris tried her very best to mask her sadness in hearing that. Prompto and Gladiolus had already known things had changed between the couple much earlier than she had. They probably already knew the details of their date. It was why they weren't acting surprised at all. Noctis had been dating Luna for a solid month and half and it was very clear, just by the way he was rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand, that he was crazy about her.

"Noct, did you take a look at your roster?" Ignis inquired, although it sounded like a reminder.

"Oh yeah – that's right, it's in my email. Let me see…" Noctis said, letting go of his girlfriend's hand to pull out his phone from his jean pocket.

"Ooo, let's see if any of us have the same classes," Prompto excitedly suggested, pulling out his own cellphone.

They all brought up their rosters on their devices and compared schedules.

"So I've got Math first period with Ackers, Religious Studies with Gentiana, and for third, Literature with Izunia," Prompto read out.

"Hey, I have him for third period too," Luna quipped.

"Interesting, so do I," Ignis muttered.

"Same here," Noctis said.

"Wow. What are the chances?" Gladiolus asked whilst staring at his screen in disbelief, which could only mean he too had the same class. "Iris, who do you have for third period?"

"Mr. Izunia as well," she answered, pleasantly surprised. Though she was a sophomore, she never expected that her advanced placement exam last year would enroll her in an upper level English class with her brother and all his friends, let alone in the same period. She had to agree – what were the chances?

"I hear he's really eccentric," Prompto said nervously. "Tough grader, too. Ugh, geez, I have Bethsithia after him too. Fuck."

Verstael Besithia, or Mr. Bethsithia, was the head of the Science Department and teacher of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics at Insomnia High. One of the oldest members of the faculty, he was notorious for failing students who missed two days of his class (without a very good excuse), and demanded students put a lot of time and energy to complex projects listed on his syllabus. Those who managed to pass his class with an 'A' instantly became his favorites and scored stellar recommendations from him into top Colleges and Universities. He was quite powerful in academic circles.

The only two people Iris could think of that passed any of his classes were Luna and Ignis.

"I'm in the same boat as you, buddy," Noctis assured. "I got him for sixth period."

"I've prayed to the gods not to get him this year or next year," Gladiolus added.

"He's not that bad," Luna tried to reason. "And I don't think Mr. Izunia is either."

"Easy for you to say, Smarty McSmart," Noctis teased her before giving her a wink.

Luna shook her head and laughed.

The bell rang, signaling that they needed to get to their homerooms, which would shortly be followed by first period.

"See you guys, later," Noctis said to the group.

"See you soon!" Prompto waved as he headed the other direction.

"Talk to ya," her brother said before following Prompto.

Iris turned to leave too, but not before she caught a glimpse of Luna and Noctis saying goodbye. Noctis leaned over and pressed a kiss on Luna's lips, his hands on her waist, and he didn't even mind the stares or whispers from the students passing by. Iris turned her head away, chagrinned. Why couldn't her feelings just go away? And more importantly, what would it take for her to experience the love Noctis had written all over his face when he kissed Luna?

She suddenly felt a hand encircle her wrist. Alarmed, she turned back around and saw Ignis.

"Iris, are you alright?" He questioned, concern lining his brow.

His question caught her off-guard because for that entire time, she was pretending to be "alright" in the hopes that she wouldn't break down in front of everyone, especially Noctis and Luna. She knew she had to be happy for them – they expected that of her. But it dawned on her that Ignis may have been watching, coming to a realization of his own that something had been off about her.

She wanted to tell him, _Yes, of course I'm fine. No need to worry._ Any lie or excuse to cover up her pain from these silly emotions that her 15-year old self was harboring. She felt so dumb and humiliated, carrying her heart over her sleeve for one person. She should've known better.

And she should've known better when she let her tears fall from her eyes and stain her cheeks. No one seemed to notice or care that she was crying in the middle of the hallway, but her tears certainly caught Ignis by surprise.

"I'm sorry," She choked out in a sob. It was all she could say. She was sorry for having these feelings. Sorry for letting Ignis see her so vulnerable. Sorry for herself. She could feel those hot tears threatening to sting her eyes again.

Ignis, stepped closer to her. "Come, Iris. Walk with me."

Her heart thudded quickly against her chest as she looked up at him, returning his steady gaze on her – a comfort in her time of weakness, and an invitation to share what was in her heart. Ignis was good at comforting people – he had a silent way of doing so, but it was when he was silent that she could tell he was truly listening. So, it was in silence that he chose to walk with her to her homeroom.

"I thought he'd like me," She revealed.

She thought that maybe her kindness or attentiveness would win Noctis over, or the careful considerations she'd made when surprising him with her gifts. She thought that by being a good friend to Noctis, he'd somehow slowly, but surely, "fall" for her.

She and Ignis walked closely, almost in the same manner Luna and Noctis did, but Ignis was looking straight ahead, his face unreadable to his emotions or thoughts. He knew who she was talking about. He must have known – for years now.

"I feel…so ashamed of myself," she whispered while trying to hold back another wave of her remorse. "I see them together and wonder, why couldn't that be me?"

It was a question she was still asking herself now as she strolled with Ignis through the school corridors. She knew how stupid she sounded. She knew she had to let this go. But the ache she was feeling in her heart would need time to mend and heal. She just wasn't sure how much time that would take.

They reached an end of a corridor which led to two flights of steps heading to the second floor. Just before they climbed the second flight, Ignis paused and turned his head to look at her sunken, tear-stained face.

"You're being too hard on yourself," He stated gently.

Iris stared back at him in a bit of disbelief, because she didn't know what he meant.

"There is nothing for you to feel ashamed about. These feelings that you had, and still have, can't be pushed away so easily. You must face them. Accept them, Iris, and know that through every storm, there will always be a silver lining waiting for you."

She swallowed as she thought about what he was trying to say. _To accept her feelings._

"I'm not just saying that to make you feel better. I think you need to give yourself time and space to recover. Noctis may have chosen to be happy with Lunafreya, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be happy with yourself. Don't compare yourself to others. There is not a single thing about you that I would ever change," he said, finalizing his words with a searing look that, in all manner of the cliché, took her breath away.

_To accept herself._

Did he mean every word he said?

"Wow…," she rasped, struggling to believe what she was hearing. "That's so kind of you to say, Iggy."

_But why did he say it?_

The final bell rung, preventing her from discovering the answer to that question.

Ignis seemed to pull himself together, tearing his gaze from her as he did so. "Your room is right up there," he pointed beyond the next flight of stairs. "I'd best be on my way, too."

Before he turned to depart, he pulled out a silver handkerchief with a beautifully embroidered design from his vest pocket and placed it the palm of her hand. "Keep this safe with you."

She marveled at, not only the intricately woven fabric, but his very simple, caring gesture.

"I will. Thank you," she smiled her first genuine smile that day. "For everything."

"You are so welcome," Ignis returned the smile. A smile that made her heart skip one too many beats.

He walked back to his homeroom, which she suddenly realized must have been further away from hers. He had walked with her, not caring that he'd be late.

It was what a true friend would have done. She felt the fabric of the handkerchief and remembered how his fingers grazed against her palm when he placed it there. His fingers. Gods. How lovelorn could she be? Moments ago, she was pining for one guy, only to be thinking about another. Ignis was right. She needed time and space to accept her feelings and move on.

Then, maybe, she could deal with these new feelings festering in her heart.

* * *

Iedolas Aldercapt droned in his usual, nasally voice during that Monday morning Faculty meeting.

Ardyn had grown truly sick of it (the voice and the meeting). Why couldn't the man just send an email, sparing him and his colleagues the inconvenience of listening to his prating? The only silver lining to this situation was the blonde-haired woman sitting across from him, trying her hardest not to pass a wicked grin his direction.

Aera Nox Fleuret.

A force to be reckoned with.

And a woman whose heart – and hand in marriage – he was hoping to conquer by the end of this school year.

In technical terms, they were flirting – or more formally, dating. The Literature Teacher and the School Counselor – it was a bit of a forbidden romance, really. Work place relationships were generally looked down upon by the school's board of directors. But the boundaries he and Aera initially agreed upon during work hours often blurred when they were around each other. Aera was teasing him at that moment because she knew how much he despised faculty meetings. She could see it in his pained expression. And she had the audacity to grin at him. All he wanted to do then was pull her into a broom closet and kiss her senseless. That would teach her.

But it would have to wait, thanks to "Headmaster" Aldercapt who was now praising Verstael for the umpteenth time for annually raising student proficiency in the sciences. Ardyn swore to the gods that all school funding went to that overstuffed, overrated, scientist. But alas, that was school politics – and school politics were not his cup of tea. Ironically, Iedolas finally got around to addressing funding for the year.

"And now, for the important discussion of our meeting," he began, which was met with Ardyn's inward groan and the rest of the faculty's impatient sighs.

"The school has been honored with several grants from a very affluent and established donor, whose name I shall keep anonymous for the time being as we work to 'kink-out' the details. But rest assured, it is very exciting news, as said donor would like to form a partnership with our institution. They have also generously offered an array of future career opportunities for our current students."

Ardyn quirked an eyebrow at this news that was purposefully singled out. He took note of the smug smile on Iedolas' face as the old man expressed his "joy" in collaborating with the mystery patron. In the past, Insomnia High had been awarded funding from both private and governmental donors varying in "affluence" and fame, with veiled promises of "career opportunities." Thus, it was highly irregular to hear the wizened geezer speak as if this were the very first time. Too irregular.

Ardyn glanced around the room, taking into account the reactions of the faculty. Gentiana, kept her eyes closed, as if she were deep in thought (but it really looked like she was napping), Dustin and Monica seemed too tired for facial expressions, Cor Leonis still had that serious look he wore all the time, Gilgamesh was as still as a stone, and Verstael just didn't care, like everybody else.

Aera shot him an inquisitive look, trying to gage his thoughts on the matter, but Ardyn just shook his head. Not here.

One of the newly hired school counselors, Aranea Highwind, was bold enough to ask, "Does this mean we're getting raises?"

"No," Iedolas deadpanned. "Raises are strictly performance based, Ms. Highwind. Plus, new hires are ineligible for a raise until they've satisfied their first 6 months of compulsory training."

Aranea pursed her lips at the headmaster's rehearsed response. Ardyn predicted she would be doing a lot of that in the future.

"I would just like to conclude that I hope this school year is exceedingly exceptional for all of your students," Iedolas finally began to wrap up. "I expect nothing less than success in our combined educational efforts."

Ardyn wanted to laugh at the disingenuous comment. It was quite unnecessary, as the old man's "hopes" and "expectations" clearly lay elsewhere.

Later on, Ardyn's hopes and expectations went back to Aera, who was returning to her office like everybody else that hurriedly escaped the wretched meeting. His eyes couldn't help but stare at the sultry movement of her hips as they swept side-to-side. Naturally, it wasn't just her hips he was staring at. He casually strolled beside her, seeing the small smirk playing on her lips.

"A rather unusual meeting, wouldn't you say?" She asked.

He blew a breath through his nose. "I think it's fair to say Iedolas has found a way to line his pockets."

She laughed. "That, I think we can agree upon."

"But enough about the meeting," he changed subjects. "How's the new office treating you?"

"So far it's a breath of fresh air. I only pray Aranea likes my old one – it was more of a broom closet," Aera replied with a chuckle.

Ardyn chuckled too, a sensual look in his eyes that Aera immediately noticed.

"Don't tell me you've been having that fantasy of us – "

"In a broom closet?" He finished for her.

"Uh-huh," she said, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Well, a man can dream, can't he? Besides, I think you'd enjoy the idea."

They stopped in front of her office and she clicked the door open.

"I think you'd enjoy my idea _better_ ," she countered, pulling him inside by his collar. She slammed the door shut, then slammed _him_ against it.

"My, my, _someone_ is eager this morn," He seductively mused, as she pressed her hands to his chest.

"You do have a way with words, Mr. Izunia," she innocently whispered, reaching to encircle her arms around his neck. "They get me excited."

Another chuckle escaped from him as his hands wound their way to her derrière which he had admired lovingly from afar. "Judging by the books covering this room, I'd say you were a prolific wordsmith yourself, Ms. Fleuret."

Her lips trailed against his neck, and then across his stubbled jawline, kissing her way along.

"You should write a poem about me," she playfully answered in between kisses. "I'd love to hear it."

Ardyn, heavy with desire and his impatience, cupped her cheek and pressed his lips firmly against hers into a passionate kiss. A kiss of insatiable desire. A kiss of his longing for her that day. And the next day. And the day after that. No matter how many times they kissed, he never grew tired of it. He never could imagine not kissing her for the rest of his life.

"Is that what you want?" he huskily asked when he withdrew from her lips. "A poem about my love for you?"

Her cheeks had that beautiful rose tint he so adored. He wished to keep it there for as long as possible. She gazed at him deeply, love and lust hidden within her pretty green eyes.

"Would you give me one?"

Ardyn kissed her again, softly this time, and as he did, a very devious plan began to take shape in his naughty mind.

"Yes," he whispered thickly. "I will."

And that's how Ardyn crafted his first lesson plan for the academic year.


	3. Love Poems (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Noctis struggles to tackle Mr. Izunia's new assignment, he faces a personal struggle at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please be advised that there is some strong language later on in this chapter.

"Love poems," Ardyn Izunia dramatically proclaimed, "were a transcendental language of their time. They provoked desires, stirred emotions, and waged wars on behalf of the human heart."

Noctis was 5 minutes deep into this class, and he had absolutely no clue what on Eros Ardyn was even saying.

Prompto was not joking – this guy was eccentric.

When Noctis arrived at his third period Literature class, he was taken aback by the layout of the desks. They weren't lined up in rows, but rather, in a circle, like you'd see in some sort of theater club. Luckily, he was able to see his friends around the room; Prompto and Gladiolus sat next to each other, followed by Ignis, then Iris (who was oddly avoiding eye contact with him), and finally, Luna, who sat in the empty seat he had reserved just for her.

When everyone was seated, Ardyn entered like a storm.

His outfit consisted of a maroon dress shirt, with the first three buttons undone, and black pin-striped slacks. His wild hair was a red-violet unlike anything Noctis had ever seen, and he wore a smile that seemed as sinister as his personality. Then, he made three demands:

He demanded that the class call him "Ardyn" and _not_ Mr. Izunia.

He demanded they take their notebooks out.

And he demanded that they each brainstorm ideas for a love poem.

Noctis was shocked. How the hell was he supposed to come up with a love poem on the fly? He hated writing! Nothing he ever wrote was good. And Ardyn's syllabus (which he saw when looking over Luna's shoulder) mentioned _nothing_ about writing love poems, let alone studying poetry. Was this teacher high? How could he forget to put that on his own damn syllabus?

For crying out loud, Noctis could barely tell the girl that he loved for _eight years_ his own _feelings_. He only summed up the courage after Gladiolus and Prompto _dared_ him to take Luna out on a date and confess. She was graduating this year, going to college, and he knew he'd be seeing less and less of her. The kiss was something he did by instinct. When she was clutching on to him, laughing into his chest, it felt right. When she was teasing him, it felt right. And when he kissed her, that felt right, too. The countless number of kisses they'd shared since then spoke the words he had wanted to say for so long.

So how was he supposed to tell her how he felt through a poem?

He peeked over at Luna who had been taking careful notes. She could definitely write a poem in her sleep. She was Luna. Luna could do anything.

"Use your personal experiences and write something I haven't heard before," Ardyn excitedly continued. "Tap into your teenage hormones, if you must! But remember – your grade will solely be determined by the way in which you deliver your words. Yes, you all heard me – you'll be reading your poems out-loud for the entire class."

Noctis' throat went dry.

He was going to fail.

He panickedly glanced over at his friends. Ignis was cool as a cucumber, Gladiolus looked bored, and Prompto was too busy checking out the girls in the room (probably for inspiration).

Overall, they didn't appear as anxious as he was to get the hell out of there.

As if hearing his thoughts Ardyn shot his amber eyes straight to him, a calculated plan dancing in his untrusting eyes. Rapidly, he said, "Noctis, you shall do the honors of going first."

A hush fell into the room. All eyes were on him.

Oh no.

Oh, gods, _**no**_.

This could not be happening.

He took a big gulp of empty air.

"Uh-um…," he started to stammer. "Mr. – I mean, Ardyn. When _exactly_ am I going?"

Ardyn smiled earnestly.

"Right now."

It felt like the world stopped moving. Noctis couldn't hear himself breathe. He sat there, still as a stone, only peering at his opened notebook in front of him. Blank. The pages were blank – like his mind.

He took another gulp, then stared back at Ardyn.

Ardyn, whose plastered smile began to break.

Until he was cracking up like a maniac.

"Oh, Noctis, I'm only joking – calm down, you look pale as Shiva!" He said in between laughs.

The entire class started laughing then.

Even Luna!

His cheeks burned hot red as he scowled at her, and she immediately covered her mouth. She sent him an apologetic look, as an assurance that she meant no harm – but he wasn't going to let her off that easy. He could even hear the guys snickering like idiots. He was going to get back at all of them.

"You'll be reading your poem a week from today," Ardyn assuaged his fears. "That goes for the rest of you, too. Late assignments will automatically be marked as failure to complete. No excuses!"

Noctis took a moment to breathe a sigh of relief, but he was peeved that Ardyn chose to put him on the spot like that. What the hell was he trying to accomplish? And why did he, of all people, have to go first? It was like Ardyn could smell fear.

And at that moment, Noctis' fears came back to the blank page he gawked at earlier.

What if he couldn't come up with anything? What if he choked again, like he did several moments ago? Nobody would let him live it down.

Luna placed her hand over his.

"Hey," she whispered. "I'm sorry I laughed."

"Didn't look sorry to me," he teased.

"Noct, I didn't mean it!" She defended.

"You looked really nervous. But I knew Ardyn was just joking."

He scrunched his eyebrows at that last part.

"How would you _know_ that?" He quietly asked, puzzled by that one word.

She looked surprised by his inquiry and cautiously moved her eyes to Ardyn, who was still passionately lecturing. "Well – " she started to answer, but quickly thought better of it.

"I'll tell you after school."

Something about Ardyn that she could only tell him after school? Now that sounded juicy. Maybe there was payback around the corner for this literature teacher too.

He calmly nodded and let the matter slide for the time being.

* * *

The minute third period ended, Noctis slung his backpack on his shoulder and rushed out the classroom so fast, that Luna was shaking her head in amusement and the guys had given him vicious grins. He expected as much from them – they were still laughing about his encounter with Ardyn.

But who he hadn't expected to see when rushing out was Iris. Before he could skid to a halt, he bumped into her from behind.

"Ah!" she jumped like she'd been disturbed from some deep thoughts.

"Oh, hey Iris. Sorry I scared you. I just had to get the hell out of there."

Iris dubiously smiled and said, "No, don't be. I was just a little surprised." She laughed a little, but she still wasn't making eye contact with him.

"Hey…are you ok?" He carefully inquired. Iris was more forthcoming than this. He could only assume something happened to her that day – she was usually cheerful.

This time she did look at him, hesitantly, but quickly said in a high-pitched voice, "Yep, all good here! Noct, I gotta go, but we can catch up later!"

She hurriedly waved goodbye before she disappeared into the throng of students.

He was still trying to register what was going on with her, when a heavy hand clamped down on his shoulder.

"Yo, Noct. Ardyn changed his mind – wants you to have that poem ready by tomorrow," Gladiolus teased from behind.

"Shut-up."

"Hahaha, Noct, your face made my freaking day," Prompto came out next, clutching his stomach to hold himself together.

"Yes, ha-ha-ha, Prompto. Just make sure it's not _your_ face next week," Ignis murmured, which turned Prompto's smile upside down.

"Glad someone's got my back," Noctis sighed.

"Iggy, don't be acting innocent. We saw you laughing too," Gladiolus swiped.

"Nonsense. I was laughing at the thought of Noct kicking both of your asses after class," Ignis casually thwarted the accusation.

Noctis couldn't help but grin. "My man, Iggy."

"Come on, stop teasing Noct," Luna chimed in from behind, having finally left the classroom.

"Girl, we saw you laughing too!" Prompto playfully nudged her elbow.

"Ok, I did, but I apologized!" She concurred, while holding her hands up in surrender.

"Let's just stop talking about this," Noctis dismissed them all with a hand before they got too carried away. They wouldn't be seeing each other for the rest of the day, and he wanted to make plans to hang out after school.

"You guys down to come to my house tonight?"

"Can't, got wrestling," Gladiolus groaned. "Cor's making us stay late."

"I have fencing practice, Noct. Maybe another time," Ignis followed.

"Aw man. Lu? Prompto?"

Luna shook her head. "I need to finish my college essay. It's almost done."

 _Oh yeah, that's right_ , he remembered. She told him about that earlier.

"Wow, am I the only one down for this?" Prompto jokingly asked the group of party poopers.

"Looks like it, bud. Ok, text me when you're out, Prompto."

"You got it, Noct!" Prompto gave him a thumbs up before he left the group with Gladiolus and Ignis.

Noctis turned to Luna, expecting to kiss her before parting ways. But he was curious about something else.

"What took you so long to come out?" He asked, recalling that she was the last person to exit the classroom. He didn't mean for it to sound like he was interrogating or accusing her, but Luna seemed to bristle a little at his words before raising an eyebrow at him.

"I was asking Ardyn if he could ready my essay when I was finished," she answered. "Is that a problem?"

"Oh," he said, now feeling bad. Well, duh, of course she would ask their English teacher. Luna was laser focused on getting all of her college apps completed before the end of the fall. And that also meant she wouldn't really have time to hang out with him after school as often as he would have liked her to. Again, he should have known that – but it slipped his mind.

Trying not to sound like a selfish, possessive boyfriend, he quickly answered, "No. Not at all."

He needed to be more understanding of her time.

With a smile, she said, "I'll call you," and stood on her toes to softly kiss him on the cheek. He liked it when she kissed him – it made him feel like he could do anything.

Like pick her up by the waist and twirl her around in the hallway. Luna yelped in surprise, but quickly started laughing with him, until he finally brought her back on her feet. Her body was closer now – her chest pressed against his. He could feel her quickening heartbeat and wondered if she could feel his.

He kissed her blushed cheeks and squeezed her hand as an apology.

"I'll be waiting," he silkily replied.

"Just don't wait up too late," she winked before striding away.

* * *

After school, Noctis and Prompto hopped into the Regalia and drove their usual route to the Caelum Manor. Noctis' senses were actively reminded of Luna's presence in his car that morning – the smell of her sylleblossom hair shampoo still lingered on the passenger seat, even with Prompto sitting there. Noctis offered to drive her back home from school, but Luna insisted on staying in the library longer.

He would've stayed with her, but he didn't think his flirting would have gotten her very far in her work.

And besides – he enjoyed driving. He thought it was relaxing and would take his mind off his anxiety with Ardyn's impending assignment. When he drove, he felt like he was in control, and control was something he felt he needed to have when faced with the impossible – including being a good boyfriend to Luna.

Driving seemed to help Luna too when he gave her the keys to the car after their date in July. She started to relax and even invited him inside her apartment where they'd stolen more kisses and fed each other juicy Ulwaat berries. The funny thing was that he still felt like they were best friends – just more intimate and loving than ever before. It had gotten late, and they were getting tired, but instead of going home that night, he was coyly led by Luna into her bedroom, where she summarily pulled him under her covers so they could snuggle. They had never slept together before – at least, not like that. But it was very clear that she wanted him, and he wanted her.

Prompto had asked him if they'd gone further than cuddling – if sex was something he considered having with Luna.

Honestly, it crossed his mind all the time – but Luna was special. She always had been. She was his first love and his girl, and he wanted to treat her right. The last thing he ever wanted to do was pressure her to make love with him, regardless of how much he wanted to.

"She might not attend college in our area, Noct," Prompto argued. "You might not get to be as intimate with her as you want. What if she goes to Altissia?"

"Then I'll visit her during breaks," he confidently countered, but in his head he was unsure. _What-if_ questions made him nervous because there was uncertainty, and he wasn't sure how exactly his relationship with Luna would change if she went somewhere far.

"Man, you got a lot more patience than I do. I wouldn't even wait. I'd grab my girl and – "

Before Prompto could finish his lewd comment, Noctis sharply switched lanes, knocking the blonde against the passenger door.

"Hey!"

"Sorry – a truck was coming," he lied.

"Noct," Prompto heaved a sigh while rubbing his head. "At least hear me out. Whether you wait or not is up to you, but time ticks on my friend, and eventually our passions get the better of us."

"Since when did you become a sex guru?" He mused.

Prompto chuckled at the nickname, but he shifted in his seat just uncomfortably enough for Noctis to see the glint of a lustful memory in his friend's eyes.

"Prompto…" Noctis carefully treaded. "Don't tell me you're speaking from personal experience."

"Well, _Noct_ ," Prompto diverted his eyes. "If I am, then you should know that _I know_ what I'mtalking about."

Noctis mirthfully rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say."

Eventually, they pulled up to the Caelum mansion and Noctis parked the car at his usual spot – right between his dad's Lamborgini and Porsche.

 _Why do you have all these cars, bro_? Prompto once asked him, gawking at the garage full of vintage cars, before also asking, _And when can I drive one of these bad boys_?

 _Dad's a car collector, and you're_ _ **never**_ _driving any of these_ , Noctis teased.

Noctis chuckled at the memory as Prompto got out the Regalia and placed a soft kiss on the yellow lamborgini nearby.

"Soon, my love. Soon."

Noctis lightly smacked him on the head.

"Get a room."

"Ow!" Prompto cradled his head as if he were in actual pain. "Don't be hating on me and my girl."

"Ah, so _this_ is the girl you're getting your swerve on with," Noctis laughed.

Prompto smirked but didn't say anything more.

Together, they treaded towards the elevator at the corner of the parking garage. Noctis hit the 1st floor button, and the silver doors immediately closed before swiftly lifting them to their designated level.

As the doors opened, they were greeted with black marble flooring and white marble walls, with elegantly placed furniture all around. Corinthian columns stood along the sides of the wall, scattered in hues of grey and gold, and tall renaissance windows flushed the opposite side of the room, opening to a view of the courtyard where a large fountain lay just ahead.

No matter how many times Prompto came over, he would always say he felt like a guest at a five- star hotel. Yes, there were butlers, maids, and gardeners that maintained the property, and Prompto thoroughly enjoyed asking for things here and there, so his friend's feelings didn't surprise Noctis at all.

If anything were surprising, it was that most people overestimated how much the Caelum family valued their wealth – it really didn't matter to Noctis because he didn't like to brag about the material comforts of his home or his family fortune. He paid no mind to the fancy home décor or the various financial investments his dad managed. Instead, he preferred to spend his time in his room which was a lot more minimalistic and "normal" than the rest of the house. Come to think of it, he specifically requested that his room be as bland as possible, much to his dad's disgruntlement.

Speaking of his dad, Noctis could hear him raising his voice at someone behind closed doors. He sounded annoyed, and not in the same way he did when the Regalia broke down a couple of months ago.

_You're being absurd. I can't just hand you shares of the company –_

His father's voice was interrupted by the sound of glass shattering to pieces, replaced by a man raucously cursing back at him.

_Listen to me, you fucking imbecile – those shares are my motherfucking birthright. Stop being a bitch about this and give them to me._

Noctis and Prompto exchanged shocked glances with each other, before hastily deciding to follow the noise of the commotion.

_Have you not been listening to me? You need to get them through votes –_

_Votes my ass! You have them, Rege. You've been saving them for your punk-ass progeny._

At the end of a hallway was a small boardroom that his father used when meeting with business guests. Noctis wasn't allowed to enter his dad's meetings unless summoned, but he felt this particular meeting warranted an exception because he had never heard anyone shout at his father like that before.

He turned the golden brass handle of the heavy door and pushed it open.

Inside stood his father, Regis Lucis Caelum, looking ready to burst an artery – his grayish black hair slightly disheveled from what Noctis gaged was a very heated argument. Regis hadn't seemed to notice that the door was opened until Prompto gulped loud enough to catch his attention.

Before his dad could react, Noctis opened the door even wider to reveal the asshole who had the nerve to yell in his house, only to stiffen because it was none other than –

"Uncle Somnus?"

Standing on the other side of the room was a tall, leanly muscled man, who looked somewhere around his 30s with black hair, cobalt eyes, and a face that looked strikingly similar to Noctis.

"Noct," his uncle grated, clearly displeased at being disrupted. He wore a navy-blue pin-striped business suit, which was only part of a vast collection of designer suits he owned. His eyes were wild, and his mouth bore a disapproving frown that was meant for Regis, but now directed at his nephew.

In the corner of his eye, Noctis glimpsed Prompto's mouth, gaped open, as his pupils switched back and forth between Noctis and his uncle, as if he were seeing a doppelganger.

Although he and his uncle shared a strong resemblance to each other, that was essentially where their similarities ended. Unlike Noctis, Uncle Somnus was cruel and conniving. The best examples came from his early childhood. To punish him for misbehaving, Somnus would slice open the heads of his plushed toys and lock him inside his room for hours, sometimes up until the following day. And when Noctis wasn't misbehaving, his uncle would torture him with ghost stories about children being eaten alive by Daemons, which frightened him so much that Noctis peed his pants one night when he thought he saw a "daemon" in his bedroom. His uncle made it known he did not fancy Noctis and he showed no sympathy for him when he cried.

Somnus had a bad rep all around, which is why Regis had taken measures to gradually distance himself from his brother for his reckless attitude and behavior.

But it seemed his father did not take _all_ measures.

"What are you doing here," Noctis spat, gripping the door handle so hard, he thought it might break.

"He was just leaving," Regis answered for Somnus, the words thrown like daggers at his brother.

Somnus' jaw tightened, enraged by the dismissal. He blew a scornful breath as he rolled his eyes to the direction of the floor where broken shards of whiskey glass scattered across the marble. He looked like he was in the mood to throw another glass.

"Yes, I was just leaving," he reluctantly agreed, turning his head to Noctis. "It's a shame we couldn't catch up. Maybe next time."

His words were obviously drenched in sarcasm.

Completely ignoring Regis, he stalked over to Noctis, sizing him up as he did so, before glancing at Prompto who was stiff as a cardboard cutout.

"And you are?" His uncle raised a dark eyebrow at the blonde who couldn't stop gawking.

"Uh, my- um-name is- uh – Prompto, sir."

Noctis couldn't blame Prompto for stuttering – his uncle was an intimidating dick, and he knew it.

Somnus took a good, distasteful look at Prompto, before ignoring him and brushing past Noctis.

But not before he whispered into his nephew's ear:

"Don't look so relieved. You'll be next."

Noctis sent his uncle his best 'fuck-you' face, before watching the man disappear into the hallway. Still, a small chill went down his spine from his uncle's words.

"Dad, what was that all about?" Noctis turned to his father, whose facial expression was both pensive and angry.

"Noct, it's nothing. Go to your room."

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me why the hell he was being a complete jackass to you."

"Watch your language, Noct! This is not something I want to discuss while your friend is here. Don't be rude."

Prompto awkwardly shuffled out of the room. "You know, I'll just, uh, wait outside."

His friend hurriedly shut the door, giving him and his dad the privacy they needed.

"Dad, talk to me. What is going on?"

His father took a deep breath. He seemed troubled to speak his thoughts out loud, but by the way he released his breath, his dad probably knew it was inevitable to keep whatever it was from him.

"Somnus is trying to takeover Lucis Corp."

Noctis blinked.

"What?"

"He wants my shares Noct – shares that I saved for you."

Noctis glanced over at the shards of glass sprawled on the other side of the room, a reminder of his uncle's violent rage just moments ago. Was that what this was all about? Getting power over the family business?

"But why? That's so stupid. He already has shares – heck, he already has a _job_ at the company. What more does he need?"

Regis sat down in a chair and faced Noctis. He looked disturbed.

"Noct, I planned to hand the company, and my position as CEO, over to you once you started working for me after high school. Somnus found out, and he has been wrangling me ever since. He thinks I've been pulling the wool over his eyes. He even dug up your grandfather's succession plan and discovered he was not allocated his fair number of shares. That's what he came to argue with me about. Legally, I cannot hand them to him – not until the board of directors and shareholders place a vote."

Noctis hadn't realized he was holding his breath, a small wave of panic rising as an important question emerged in his mind.

"And what happens if he wins the votes?"

Regis took a deeper breath.

"He gets inducted as the next CEO and chairman of the board."

Between them, a deafening silence settled in the room.

It was in this silence that Noctis realized how alone his father had been while privately dealing with his psychopathic uncle who would surely run the family business down to the ground. His father didn't even have to say it. The silence was enough to know what he was thinking. People would get fired and laid off. Jobs would be outsourced from the city. Benefits would be cut. Somnus only cared about one thing: making a profit. And he'd screw over anyone who stood in his way just to make it.

"He's not gonna win – right? You need to be popular to win, don't you?"

Regis sighed.

"Something tells me he won't be betting on his "popularity" to win."

Noctis looked dumbfounded.

"Are you saying he's going to cheat?"

Regis squeezed the bridge of his nose, struggling to conjure up the answer to that question.

"I don't know, Noct. I don't have proof."

Noctis cringed at the thought of that asshole getting his way. A part of him wanted to give the man a piece of his mind.

"Noct – we need to talk about your future with Lucis Corp."

Oh no. Not this talk. While Noctis knew his father already built career plans for him to take over the company, he wasn't so sure in becoming the next CEO. He didn't feel competent, let alone interested in learning the ropes of the family business. Plus, it felt like a handout – he hadn't earned it for himself.

"I don't want to talk about this…" he replied, walking towards the door.

"Stop right there – you wanted to know what was going on and I told you. And believe me, son, this has much to do with you then anybody else."

 _Dammit_ , Noctis cursed in his mind. He really, _really_ needed to get out of this room. Ignoring his father, he proceeded to open the door and face Prompto who had been eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Let's get out of here," he hastily whispered to his friend.

Prompto peeked a glanced at Regis who was still commanding his son to stay.

Noctis pulled Prompto by the arm and they went marching up the stairs towards his room.

"Noct, I really don't know what to say."

"Then don't say anything."

"Well it's too late for that, because I'm going to anyway. First of all, you _never_ told me you had an evil twin uncle out to get you, and secondly, you _never_ said anything about taking over your dad's company!"

"And for good reason. I can't deal with this crap."

"Can't or won't?"

Noctis paused at the doorway to his bedroom.

"Prompt, I really don't want to talk about this."

Prompto gave him the sternest stare before deciding to let the issue go.

"Fine. But we're revisiting this, Noct. I'm your best friend – you can trust me with stuff like this, ok?"

Noctis sent him a small smile.

"Right."

For the rest of that evening, they worked on their homework and played video games afterwards. But the events of that day still lingered in his mind. The poem. His uncle. His dad's pressure for him to inherit the company. While these thoughts made his brain hurt, there was one person who kept popping up alongside them like a warm blanket through a storm.

Luna.

The girl he was trying to write a love poem for. The girl who showed him comfort and kindness when his uncle had been cruel to him as a child. The girl who was paving her own path and didn't have someone forcing expectations on her.

Noctis secretly wished he could be more like her – brave, confident, and capable. He wished he was spending that evening cuddled up with her. He couldn't wait to call her later.

That night, after Prompto went home, he decided that he was going to write the best damn love poem he could. Even if it took him all night – or all weekend – he was going to make sure it made her heart race.


	4. The Birthday Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iris attends Noctis' birthday party - and encounters a sexy looking Ignis cooking in the kitchen. Can she possibly quell her desires for him, or will she end up cooking up her own kind of trouble?

"Hey Noct, isn't it your birthday this weekend?"

Iris already knew that it was – August 30th. She still received calendar reminders about it. It would be his 17th birthday.

"Come to think of it…yeah it is," Noctis answered Gladiolus. The two boys were standing around Noct's locker when Iris happened to walk by – unnoticed by both of them. Regardless, she overheard the following:

"Wow, our boy is getting so old, he can't even remember his own birthday."

"Hey, I've got a lot of other shit to worry about than that," Noctis said. He was dismissive, but he sounded serious.

"Oh yeah? Do tell."

That was all Iris heard from that conversation– but the moment she heard "birthday" her ears perked up by way of instinct. Usually, Noctis' birthday was something she looked forward to every year. She had even gotten him a birthday present in advance. But this time, she felt like leaving it behind.

Noctis usually held a party at his mansion with his friends. A small number of people were invited, but friends of friends were welcome too.

On the aforementioned birthday party, one particular friend showed up that she hadn't spoken to in a while.

"Cindy?" Iris gasped.

"Hey there, girlie!" Cindy Aurum exclaimed, pulling her into a warm bear hug.

Cindy had been working at her grandpa's Hammerhead gas station all summer, so Iris hadn't been able to see her that much, though they were good friends. It was fair to say that Cindy was pretty well off since her grandpa Cid owned a few gas stations, some real estate, and convenience stores here and there. But Cindy was humble and down to earth, always dressed down and cracking jokes in her southern accent.

In fact, Cindy was the "blonde bombshell" of Insomnia High, albeit in a rugged kind of way. More than likely, she'd have a grease stain on her cheek or her clothes (which gave her the nickname, "Grease monkey") but her warm, hospitable nature, topped with her curvaceous body (and often, revealing clothes) made her a girl most guys would kill to take on a date.

And tonight, her date happened to be Iris' brother, Gladiolus.

"Gladdy asked you out?"

"Sure did. He asked me to come by this party – and how could I say no to this fancy place? Plus, it looks like our "Prince" finally got himself a girl…"

The "Prince" she was referring to was Noctis, because Iris, as well as many other girls, nicknamed him the "Prince of Insomnia High."

Cindy had a small crush on Noctis too – and she had playfully flirted and bantered with him in the past. But judging by her comment, and the smile that played on her lips, it sounded like she was over it by now.

"Yeah…" was all Iris could say as she drifted her eyes to the living room where Noctis and Luna were laughing about something. She only hoped she could be "over" her own crush as well.

"So, are you and my brother dating?" Iris turned back to Cindy.

"Oh no, honey. I'm not that desperate," Cindy rolled her eyes, which made Iris laugh. She was secretly relieved to hear that.

"But girl, did ya see _Ignis_?" Cindy gossiped in her ear. "Ain't he a _Dreamboat_?"

"Definitely," Iris shamelessly conceded. The moment she saw Ignis without his glasses, it was like meeting him for the first time. But it wasn't just his appearance that she had fallen for. She could still feel his soft green eyes on her skin and hear his smooth voice echo in her mind:

_There is not a single thing about you that I would ever change._

She always blushed at that memory.

No one had ever said something so sweet to her. Or comforted her the way he did. She still kept his handkerchief with the exquisite embroidery – a gift that made her blush just as equally when she remembered him handing it to her.

She must have been blushing too hard, because Cindy had a suspicious gleam in her eye.

"Did ya get bit by the love bug, darlin'?" the blonde teased, nudging her elbow.

Iris tried to pull herself together.

"No – of course not! I'm – I'm going to get us some drinks, okay?"

Frankly, she would have made any excuse to leave Cindy and her knowing gaze behind.

"Okay, okay," Cindy laughed, backing away from the topic.

"Anyway, I'm probably gonna get lost standing in this big ass hallway, so meet me with the rest of the gang when ya get back," she said, pointing to the living room.

Iris nodded and quickly strode down the closest hallway to the kitchen where she could smell something cooking. Fried fish to be exact – something Noctis loved – and it smelled divine.

And she knew there could only be one person there.

It was no surprise that he'd been carefully adding the finishing touches to Noctis' birthday cake.

His attire consisted of a navy-blue dress shirt with black slacks – a very dark and mysterious combination. His hair was perfectly combed and styled, the way he usually liked it. He had his back to her, which was all the more alluring as she gazed at the shape of his muscles on his shoulders and his back, stretching to escape against the fabric of the cloth. All his years of fencing clearly paid off.

She had a desire to just _touch_ him. Press herself against his back and wrap her arms around his lean waist. Elicit a small gasp of surprise from him. Then he'd turn around to see that it was her and smile, the same way he did when they were in the stairwell together.

Like a real boyfriend would.

But Ignis wasn't her boyfriend.

They were friends. And they were going to remain that way.

Pushing down the last twinge of her disappointment, she determinedly marched to the refrigerator which was directly in the peripheral of Ignis' eyesight.

"Hello, Iris," he said in a light voice, bringing his head up from what he was doing and sexily smiling at her.

'Sexily' was the subjective word that came to her mind as there was no other way to describe what he was doing to her. Some of his slicked back hair was falling across his forehead, which gave him an unpolished, yet handsome look. Everything about him seemed sexy – from the way his eyes lit up when he saw her, to the cool tone of his voice, down to the professional way he was holding the pouch of frosting in his hands. Ignis was bringing sexy back in more ways than one.

She tried to drown out the sound of her heart racing as she said, "Hi, Iggy. Just came to get some drinks."

"Oh, I'll help you with that. I don't want you carrying all those drinks on your own."

She was tempted to tell him she only came to get drinks for herself and Cindy, but thought better of it.

Hesitantly, she asked, "Is there anything I could help you with?"

Ignis shot her a thoughtful look and said, "As a matter of fact, yes. Do you see that cupboard next to the fridge? Can you grab all of the spices inside?"

It amazed her how well Ignis knew Noctis' kitchen, especially considering how huge it was. Yes, they were all used to coming over Noctis' house and raiding the kitchen once in a while, but Ignis spent the most time here and he seemed to have memorized the location of everything.

Going to the cupboard, she opened it and saw the vast selection of spices. As she grabbed each one and placed them on the counter, she noticed that there were a few lying further away from her reach. She had to get on her tip toes to reach some of them since she wasn't tall enough, but they were still too far away…

Unexpectedly, she felt a solid chest press against her back and watched Ignis' hand grab the remaining spices. The sleeve of his shirt was rolled up, revealing his pale, yet strong forearm. She inhaled a waft of his woodsy cologne that seemed to surround her and made her body flush with arousal. It was like an aphrodisiac made just for her.

Slowly, she turned around, aware that he was still standing behind her. His green eyes stared at her curiously, seemingly ignited.

She glimpsed at his lips for a moment.

 _Kiss him_ , her heart whispered.

"Sorry, I should've taken into account that some of these would be hard to reach," he apologized, gesturing to the spices.

"Th-that's okay," she stammered.

 _Do it now_ , her heart insisted.

"I'll need these to grill skewers tonight – I think they'll go well with the fish too."

"I think so too. The fish smells _really_ good by the way," she turned her attention to the mouthwatering fry pan.

"Hey…could I…watch you cook?" She asked, realizing that this was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Ignis was by far the best cook she knew and perhaps she could get a few pointers from him.

 _Or get a kiss_ , her heart hammered.

 _Shut-up_ , Iris fired back at her feisty heart.

His eyebrows shot up in delight when he said, "Of course. And may I ask for your assistance as I cook?"

"Absolutely," she smiled – another real, genuine, smile. Ignis was really good at getting those out of her.

"Excellent," he answered, guiding her to the skillet.

She didn't know how long she was in the kitchen with Ignis, but pretty soon she had forgotten all about getting drinks and instead focused on chopping vegetables and arranging the meat for the skewers. There was something comforting and methodical about cooking and preparing food. She began to understand why Ignis was so allured by the culinary arts – it gave him direction and forced him to focus. But it also allowed him to be creative – like introducing various spices to grilled meat. Or concocting mind-blowing desserts, like the Kupoberry Cheesecake he whipped up.

"Mmm," she moaned in delight at the sweet dessert that he pulled from the fridge.

"Do you like it?" He asked.

"I love it," she grinned. "How did you come up with this?"

"There were a couple recipes I was trying to replicate from Tenebrae for Noct…but none of them were quite what he was looking for. So I consider these my originals."

Tenebrae was where Luna was originally from…so Noctis was probably trying to make Ignis create dishes that Luna made. Regardless, Ignis was a fantastic cook and Noctis, to her dismay, was a little too picky.

"These are amazing, Iggy," she smiled back, truly impressed and inspired by his talent. He had a gift, and a part of her wanted to know if he had any others.

"I'm glad you think so, Iris."

"I really do. I think I'd want to take cooking lessons from you," she chuckled, although she was quite serious.

He raised a curious eyebrow.

"Really?"

She blushed.

"If you don't mind, that is."

"Not at all," he shook his head. "I'm flattered, actually."

"Iggy," she nudged his elbow playfully, before insisting, "I mean it– you're the best chef I know. I'd love to learn from you."

There was a graze of a blush coloring his cheeks when she said that, and hers did as well. Honestly, she didn't know what came over her. Moments ago, she was drooling over Ignis from afar – and now she was standing so close to him that she could hear him breathe.

"Also… I never properly thanked you for going out of your way to listen to me the other day. I know I was a baby, crying like that."

He touched her hand. "You were most certainly _not_ , and there's nothing wrong with crying."

"I know," she continued, feeling warmth where he touched her. "I needed to cry and get those feelings off my chest. But you were there for me, and I really appreciated that. I was hoping to return the favor in some way. How about I cook a dish for you?"

He smiled.

"Iris, I'd love to try it, but please don't feel as though you have to," he insisted. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and she felt her chest flutter.

If only he knew what he was doing to her, because she couldn't say either. From the second she entered the kitchen that day, her attention had completely shifted from Noctis' birthday party happening just a room away, to Ignis who was gazing down at her now with his deep-sea green eyes and his hand still resting on hers.

"I want to," She confidently replied, capturing his eyes with her hazelnut ones. She could see a spark light up in his eyes at her answer.

Maybe she had been feeling brave, because right then, she decided to lean forward and kiss his cheek.

Ignis' breath hitched when her lips came in contact with his skin. It was almost as if time had stopped and the whole room shifted around them in a haze.

When she pulled away, his wide eyes stared right back at hers.

And she realized what she had done.

She kissed Ignis.

She _kissed_ Ignis!

Her cheeks burned a deep crimson as her heart raced in approval. Why had she done that? What was she supposed to do after that? Apologize? Say she didn't mean it?

_Oh yes, you meant it._

_No!_ She scolded her deviant heart.

But the damage was done, her heart had won, and a pink-faced Ignis stared back at her in what she could only surmise as bafflement.

"Oh – Iggy, I'm sorry – I didn't- I didn't," she tried to form a coherent apology, but her words were clearly failing her.

"Didn't…what?" He slowly asked.

"I…I didn't…mean…," she struggled again, but this time she noticed something peculiar about Ignis' demeanor. He didn't pull back like she thought he would, and while he did seem to be in a state of surprise, he was intensely pondering her face.

Encouraging her to continue.

Waiting to hear what she meant by that kiss.

It made her think about how she let years and years go by, without letting Noctis know what he had meant to her or how he made her feel. And by choosing to hide behind a mask, hoping and wishing for things to happen, instead of taking a chance to express how she felt, she had hampered her ability to simply be herself. Honestly, she was scared. Scared of rejection. Scared she would humiliate herself.

But when she looked at Ignis, she wasn't afraid. Not in the slightest.

" _There is nothing for you to feel ashamed about. These feelings that you had, and still have, can't be pushed away so easily. You must face them. Accept them, Iris, and know that through every storm, there will always be a silver lining waiting for you."_

_To accept her feelings._

_To accept herself._

So, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and without a word, pulled Ignis down by the collar of his shirt and pressed her lips against his.

It felt like a match lighting a flame. Like stars bursting within deep space.

She didn't know if he had even liked her or if he would return her kiss at all.

But her doubts were quelled when he let out a slight moan and his soft lips began to mesh with hers. Lips that began to taste hers in curiosity, along with their breaths mingling in fascination. His masculine, woodsy cologne filled her nostrils and she couldn't help but wrap her arms around his neck as he enveloped his strong hands around her small waist. She wasted no time allowing him to explore her mouth, lost in the delicious dance of their tongues, both of them illustrating their possessiveness over the other.

After what felt like an eternity, she pulled away, slightly breathless and a little dazed, catching a glimpse of his intense green eyes hungrily drinking in her hazelnut ones. His hands still gripped her waist and he stared at her, mesmerized. In his stare, there was also a question of whether this was what she wanted – if _he_ was what she wanted.

"I like you," she whispered.

She said it.

It scared her just how upfront she was being, but somewhere in her heart she felt like she had to be. She felt like Ignis wanted her to be honest.

"Iris…" he whispered her name so softly, it made her want to crush his lips against hers again.

"Iggy," she said in a shaky breath. "I really do like you. And I want to get to know you better…I probably should've done that before kissing you."

Ignis' lips broke into a gentle smile before he chuckled.

"I like you, too," he shyly revealed. "Perhaps, more than I'd care to confess. And I would love to spend more time with you…"

But then he paused for a moment.

"What is it?" she asked, a little scared to hear what he would say.

He took a small breath before he asked:

"Are you really over Noct?"

At the mention of his name, Iris' heart clenched. That feeling alone was the answer – she wasn't over him. Not completely. But she wanted to be. She was trying to be. Because she didn't want to overlook her feelings that were growing for Ignis.

"I'm working on it," she answered, knowing that it was the truth.

Ignis politely nodded, but Iris suspected he was holding back his feelings on the matter. Her heart clenched even further at the thought. She didn't want to hurt Ignis. And she didn't want him to think he was some sort of rebound from her "crush."

"Iggy, when I'm with you…I feel brave. Like I can just be myself," she explained.

 _Like I can breathe_ , she thought.

She didn't feel this way with anyone – not with her brother, not with Cindy, Prompto, or even Noctis. What she had with Ignis felt natural – like a second skin. He was calm, caring, compassionate, and there when she needed him the most. There were many times in the past when Ignis had comforted her and lent her his ear, yet it had taken her this long to see that Ignis was special to her.

Ignis' face softened at her words. Understanding filled his eyes. He was still holding on to her waist when he gently leaned closer and said:

"You're already brave all on your own, Iris. I've seen that firsthand."

His voice was low, yet those words spoke directly to her soul. Not the girl who tried to put on a brave face all the time or forced herself to be cheerful. No, he was speaking to who she truly was inside. The girl who opened up to him and showed her true feelings.

"I see it even more still," he added, as he glanced at her lips.

The memory of their passionate kiss swirled in her mind and her lips curled as she realized it was what he was thinking about too.

"Well…I'd be happy to demonstrate my bravery again," she suggested, coyly meeting his eyes.

Ignis seemed to do a double-take at her suggestion. Conflict and temptation danced in his eyes as he stared down at her. In all fairness, they had just kissed in someone else's kitchen and were considering doing it again. They could get caught at any moment. But the chance to kiss again, especially in a public place such as this with their friends in the other room just seemed so wild and freeing.

Yet, Ignis dropped his hands from her waist and stepped back.

"Iris, I would be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about Gladio's reaction if he were to find us like this."

Her brother.

She had forgotten all about him. It would definitely be a problem if he walked in on them.

_If he found out that you're having a relationship with one of his best friends._

"Well," she countered, "He doesn't need to know. I don't think anybody needs to know."

Ignis paused again to consider her words.

"You mean…we keep this a secret."

Her heart rapidly thumped against her chest.

"Yes," she whispered.

Whatever _this_ was, it would be their secret – just between them, and only them. And while she knew that keeping secrets usually didn't lead up to good outcomes (and eventually everyone would find out) she didn't care at that moment. She just wanted to be with Ignis. She wanted to cook with him, kiss him more, and be held in his arms.

He carefully studied her face before nodding.

"Alright," he relented.

Iris smiled in relief, her heart just about ready to sing. Ignis smiled back, sealing their little secret. But Iris wanted to seal it with something else. Impetuously, she decided to lean up and press her lips to Ignis' again.

This time, it felt like fire meeting ice.

She could feel Ignis' last defenses melting away, his body relaxing into hers once more. She allowed herself to gently enter his mouth and feel the warm wetness of his tongue massage hers. His arms began to encircle her waist in a tight embrace. He couldn't seem to get enough of her, nor let her go. She couldn't get enough of his addictive, sweet lips – a dessert made just for her. And their kiss felt forbidden, as if they were Romeo and Juliet, stealing kisses at a party without a soul to witness their indiscretion. This was a side of Ignis that surprised and thrilled her and she hoped that she was surprising and thrilling him as well. All Iris could do was imagine him hoisting her up on the kitchen counter and making out with him like there was no tomorrow. She wondered if she could turn that dream into a reality.

Just as their lips parted, an all too familiar and obnoxious voice hollered from the living room:

"IGGY! What is taking so long, man?!"

The sound of that voice quickly made them jolt from each other's embrace.

"Gladio," Ignis closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Iris tucked in her kiss swollen lips, wishing they had a few more minutes. She didn't know when they'd continue where they left off. Perhaps after the party. Perhaps when they were back at school.

"Iggy?" she gently tugged at his sleeve.

He opened his eyes and brought his full attention to her.

"I'll stay and help you clean up after the party," she promised, giving him her kindest smile.

"Are you sure, Iris?"

She nodded. There were no guarantees they'd be alone again, but it was the least she could do to make up for the extended amount of time they spent in the kitchen.

"Ok. Now, I think we've kept the birthday crew waiting long enough – let's bring the drinks and the cake to the living room, shall we?" Ignis asked with a smile.

"Yes, we shall," she happily replied. Not only had she helped cook food with Ignis, but she got to spend time with him. She hadn't had this much fun in a while. She felt less regretful coming to this birthday party, and it was all thanks to him.

* * *

When they reached the rest of the group, party music was playing and everybody was crowded near the TV to witness Prompto and Noctis about to compete in a challenge round of _Just Dance!_

Cindy shot Iris a bug-eyed expression when she saw her enter with Ignis. A literal interpretation of her reaction would've been, _Girl, what were you up to?_

Iris shot her a shy smile, but quickly hid it when she saw her brother.

"There you are!" Gladiolus cried. "Iggy, you and me got to play the next round - you're the only one who can wipe the floor with these asses!"

"Gladio, you know I can't dance."

"Bullshit!" Prompto cried. "Come on Iggs, I've seen you play before!"

Iris stole a glance at Ignis and wondered what it would be like to see him dance plus dance _with_ him.

"Now I have to see this, Ignis," Luna laughed from the couch.

"Iggy, what took you so long?" Noctis asked, darting a glance at Iris who was carrying the drinks to the table.

Iris looked away, not wanting to meet his deep cobalt eyes she used to dream about.

"Apologies, preparations were taking a bit of time," Ignis coolly replied.

"But we cooked _a lot_ of food," Iris made sure to note, passing the drinks around. Cindy silently grabbed one and passed her another one of her knowing looks – she could tell straight from the get-go that something other than cooking took place.

Gladiolus grabbed a drink from Iris' hand.

"Iris, were you _actually_ cooking?" her brother asked incredulously.

At first, Iris mentally panicked, thinking he had somehow discovered her and Ignis. But when she saw the mocking grin on her brother's face, the implication of his words hit her and she glared at him.

"Yes, I was," she snapped. "Is that so hard to believe?"

"Yeah, it is. Since when the hell did you learn how to cook?"

She shot him a look of fury. Just when she was tempted to burn him with an insult, Ignis interjected.

"Iris has a natural talent, Gladio – she prepared the skewers we'll be grilling and you above all will find them delicious."

Iris tried not to blush at that comment, but it proved to be a challenge. Honestly, she must have looked like a burning tomato, either appearing extremely mad at her brother or simply embarrassed by the compliment. Either way, nobody (but Cindy) seemed to notice.

"If you say so Iggy – I can't say no to meat."

"Neither can I," Noctis added, coming over to Ignis. "I'm starving, let's eat."

In no time at all, the food and cake were served and devoured. They all managed to sing happy birthday (albeit haphazardly) and Noctis cut his cake. Through it all, Iris took every opportunity to sneak glances at Ignis who occasionally peeked a few times at her. It was strange being in the same room, yet not being totally able to pick up where they left off. But Ignis made the effort to stick close to her – choosing to sit next to her after the skewers were completely grilled.

"Great job on these skewers, Iris," Luna complimented.

"Yes, awesome job, these are delicious," Noctis added with a wink.

"Oh. Uh. Thank you," she awkwardly replied. She wasn't exactly prepared to be acknowledged by those two at this party.

Ignis sent her a reassuring smile.

"Have to say, not bad for a rookie," Gladiolus chimed in, eating his fourth skewer for the evening.

At that point they were all outside, basking in the night sky and the moon shining above them. It wasn't a chilly night, but they got a bonfire going for the heck of it.

The _Just Dance!_ competition was forgotten, so Ignis never did show off his dance moves – but Iris was determined to someday discover for herself just how skilled he was.

As they huddled around the fire, Noctis said:

"You're not going to believe what Luna just told me."

"Noct!" Luna exclaimed, slapping him on the shoulder. "You can't just spread this like wildfire."

"Lu, I think this is important for everyone to know."

"Ooo, do tell," Prompto was all eyes and ears.

"So it turns out that Ardyn is dating Luna's aunt, Aera, our school counselor."

"Come again?" Cindy gasped.

"Yeah, what?" Gladiolus furrowed his brow.

"Yup. They've been secretly dating for a while now – he might be proposing to her soon," Noctis finished.

"So that would explain the 'love poem' assignment," Ignis reasoned.

"Well now that you mention it, yes, it kind of does," Luna agreed. "But you guys can't tell anyone about this- faculty relationships are taboo at the school."

"Well that sucks for them," Prompto said. "But it's kind of funny. I mean, Ardyn is super crazy and your aunt is the nicest person on staff. I guess opposites do attract."

"You almost finished that love poem, Noct?" Gladiolus lifted a suggestive eyebrow.

"Just about," Noctis answered, wrapping his arm around Luna. She shyly smirked back at him.

Iris still had to work on hers, but she had a strong feeling that Ignis would be the centerpiece of it. The question was, would his poem be about her? She peeked at Ignis whose expression was unreadable. While he was never one to wear his emotions on his sleeve, his eyes were a window to his mind. And right now, those eyes were looking at her, glimmering with the orange glow of the bonfire. He looked incredibly handsome, and all she could do was picture him leaning over and kissing her lips again.

"Man, I wish I was in y'all's class – would love to write a love poem of my own," Cindy mused.

"You still could…" Gladiolus suggestively nudged her shoulder.

"Yeah, but not about you, sugar. Sorry."

That made everybody laugh.

Iris thought it served him right. Although, she had a suspicion Gladdy would still try to woo the southern belle of Insomnia High. She stole a glance at Cindy, who in turn gestured over to Ignis. That was code for, _Now what's going on with you two?_

Frankly, Iris wasn't so sure herself. Even though she and Ignis shared their feelings for one another, and kissed only a handful of times, they weren't officially "boyfriend" and "girlfriend." But would they eventually be? Was there a label to describe what they were now?

As the night died down, everyone started to pack up and leave. And as promised, she helped Ignis clean up (with everyone's help of course). Afterwards, she and Gladiolus began to hug their friends goodbye – starting with the birthday boy.

"Don't be a stranger, Iris, alright?" Noctis patted her shoulder.

"Heh. I won't, Noct," she said. She wasn't making any promises, though.

Next, it was Luna and Cindy. Luna made the suggestion that they should hang out sometime – just them girls – and Cindy was all for it.

"That sounds like a mighty fine idea – Iris and I are in!" Cindy exclaimed, squeezing Iris to her side so she couldn't say no.

"You're crushing me, Cin…" she wheezed.

Cindy laughed before letting go and giving her a proper hug.

"Just be careful not to get yourself 'crushed' by anybody else," Cindy gently warned in her ear.

Iris nodded, knowing that Cindy was just looking out for her. Sure, she might have developed feelings for a guy she knew for a long time, but that didn't mean everything would turn out to be roses and butterflies.

Finally, she got to Ignis. He was standing nice and tall in his dress shirt, gazing down at her with his sea green eyes. Simply looking at him reminded her of how her hands were once pressed to his chest when she kissed him.

"Thank you for letting me cook with you," she said.

"Thank you for lending a hand," he replied, reaching for her.

With their arms wrapped around each other, and their bodies pressed together in an embrace, it was all they needed to express what they truly wanted to say to each other. She took one final and deep inhale of his cologne, stowing it away in her memories. The feel of his powerful arms, back, and chest were also stowed away in her memories – so that whenever she needed comfort, she could remember him holding her the way he was now.

"Goodnight, Iggy."

"Sweet dreams, Iris."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this far! Chapter 4 (the current chapter you are on now) was especially hard to write, so please leave me any feedback or comments! I would sincerely appreciate it! Thanks guys – look forward to reading Chapter 5!


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